We carried out this announced inspection on 30 January 2019 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.

To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:

• Is it safe?

• Is it effective?

• Is it caring?

• Is it responsive to people’s needs?

• Is it well-led?

These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Petts Wood Orthodontics is in Petts Wood, Orpington, and provides NHS and private orthodontic treatment to adults and children.

There is level access via a lift and a portable ramp for people who use wheelchairs and those with pushchairs. Car parking spaces, including those for blue badge holders, are available near the practice.

The dental team includes two specialist orthodontists, three dental nurses and a practice manager. The practice has one treatment room.

The practice is owned by a partnership between the two orthodontists, and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the CQC as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. The registered manager at Petts Wood Orthodontics is one of the orthodontists.

On the day of inspection, we collected 32 CQC comment cards filled in by patients. We also obtained feedback from the practice’s practice surveys and thank you cards.

During the inspection we spoke with an orthodontist (the registered manager), the head dental nurse, and the practice manager. We checked practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.

The practice is open at the following times:

Our key findings were:

• The provider appeared clean and well maintained.
• The provider had infection control procedures which reflected published guidance.
• Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
• The provider had systems to help them manage risk to patients and staff.
• The provider had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• The provider had thorough staff recruitment procedures.
• The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines. Staff were providing preventive care and supporting patients to ensure better oral health.
• Staff received appropriate training and this was regularly reviewed.
• Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
• The appointment system took account of patients’ needs.
• The provider had made adjustments to accommodate patients with enhanced needs, such as wheelchair users, those with hearing difficulties, and patients who had problems with their vision.
• The provider valued feedback from staff and patients about the services they provided. They had processes to enable them to deal with complaints positively and efficiently.
• The provider had suitable information governance arrangements. Policies were suitable and regularly updated.
• Staff felt involved and supported and valued, and worked well as a team.
• The provider had effective leadership and a culture of continuous improvement.